THE NEWS IN
PROPORTION
27 February 2020
27 February 2020
MANUAL SCAVENGING
A gross violation of human rights
A gross violation of human rights
Manhole is a scathing celluloid indictment on the state of manual sewer cleaners in India, writes Shoma A. Chatterji.
DIFFICULT DIALOGUES
Eradicating caste from people’s mindsCasteism and the state of our civil society were the major issues discussed at the recently held Difficult Dialogues Conclave in Goa. It was organised by the South Asia Centre of the London School of Economics India Summit 2016 and the Television Trust for the Environment. Darryl D’Monte, who participated in one of the panel discussions, reports.
FEATURE
The Dalit in Indian cinemaShoma Chatterji talks about caste and the portrayal of Dalit in Hindi cinema beginning with Bombay Talkies Achhut Kannya (1936) to Bimal Roy’s Sujata (1959) followed by many mainstream films, and the small-budget, low-key ones which have focused on this significant social issue in the past so many years.
CASTE MATTERS
Yes, it is a caste issue!Rohith Vemula's death was the end of his dreams of becoming another Carl Sagan. But so many other dreams have perished because of caste-based persecution that has been a blight on higher education and professional practice in this country. Shahina Nafeesa's touching personal essay, translated by Renu Ramanath, brings out deeply disturbing realities.
TRIBAL SUB PLAN
Diversion of funds mars tribal welfare plansIn spite of the development and welfare plans and programs implemented since Independence, the tribals of our nation remain the most marginalised group. There are many valid reasons for this as Abhijit Mohanty finds out when he looks into the existing Tribal Sub Plan funds and what's happening with it.
PROFILE: Karnataka Dalit Mahila Vedike
Casting out caste crimePushpa Achanta describes the unrelenting efforts of the Karnataka Dalit Mahila Vedike (KDMV) in educating members of the Dalit and Adivasi communities in the state about their legal entitlements and helping them wage battles for justice in cases involving caste atrocity and discrimination.
CHILD SEX RATIO
When tribal India too begins to favour its sonsTribal societies and groups belonging to the Scheduled Tribes in India are traditionally known to have been relatively gender-unbiased, but recent reports and statistics point to a deteriorating child sex ratio in these communities, too. Shambhu Ghatak analyses the findings.
TRIBUTE
Remembering Ananthamurthy, the critical insiderUR Ananthamurthy's brutally honest stance on Brahmanism, or in fact on any of the subjects that concerned him, has been fiercely debated in his life and death. In a tribute to the recently deceased stalwart of public thinking, Prakash Belawadi seeks to find clues to his inquiring spirit.
NAYIBRAHMIN WOMEN
Struggling against the double whammy of caste and genderAs part of a study on the socio-economic status of women from the ‘Most Backward Castes’, women from the Nayibrahmin or barber community talk of their lives of oppression and deprivation. Akhileshwari Ramagoud recounts their tales.
CLASS POLITICS
What have the reserved constituencies voted for?In the 2014 elections, the BJP won 66 out of 131 seats reserved for SC/ST candidates, which is the highest for any single party since 1991. Prabhu Mallikarjunan looks at the statistics and tries to decipher what this says for voting behaviour in these constituencies.
MANUAL SCAVENGING
There’s always one to clear your mess!Despite the enactment of a law prohibiting the casteist and deplorable practice of manual scavenging, many continue to labour in the profession in the face of neglect, deprivation and indignity. Pushpa Achanta draws attention to the injustice meted out to manual scavengers and other sanitary workers.
HC VERDICT ON TSUNDUR
Killing the dead all over againThe recent verdict of the Andhra High Court acquitting all the accused in the horrific killing of eight Dalits in 1991 may be based on legal technicalities, but is an instance of justice denied, argues Venugopalrao Nellutla.
YOUTH AND ASPIRATIONS
Politics, through the eyes of Bihar’s Dalit studentsInitiatives under the ‘My Space My unManifesto’ campaign to bring about a political reawakening and engagement among Dalit youth have led to a new-found consciousness and perspective among them. Manisha Prakash reports.
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Amitabha Basu
- Retired Scientist
- National Physical
- Laboratory
- India Together reader
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From Aug 2013, published with support from Oorvani Foundation, a champion of public-funded media for the new India.
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